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Seattle Tries to Curb Heroin Deaths by Offering a Safe Place to Use

Posted on Wed, Oct 5, 2016 - 12:00am

Almost 30 years ago, at the height of the AIDS crisis, Seattle established one of the first public needle exchanges in the U.S. to contain the spread of the disease. With opioid use reaching epidemic levels, the city has again put itself at the vanguard of treatment with a plan to open facilities where users can take heroin or other opiates under medical supervision. They’ll offer users clean needles and cookers, access to care in case of overdoses, and information about addiction treatment and other public health services.